Sri Lanka may host the Asia Cup as India refuses to play cricket in Pakistan

On May 9, Pakistani cricket fan Farid Khan, who has labored with Pakistan Super League and Lanka Premier League and primarily based Cricket Den, wrote a protracted and “heartfelt” phrase to the President of the Asian Cricket Council and Honorary Secretary of BCCI Jay Shah, requesting him to let the Indian cricket workers play matches all through upcoming Asia Cup in Pakistan.

Pakistani fan’s phrase to Jay Shah. Source: Twitter

The cry for help bought right here after the research that the Asia Cup will virtually positively switch out of Pakistan and is perhaps held in Sri Lanka. Pakistan couldn’t even participate inside the match if it strikes out to a special nation. Earlier, there have been research that the match may occur inside the UAE. The closing willpower is to be taken by the highest of May.

Are Pakistani followers dwelling under the rock for too prolonged?

Farid expressed his dismay that the Indian cricket workers did not go to Pakistan since 2008. However, he missed an important degree about why the workers on no account went to Pakistan. After the deadly Mumbai terror assault of November 26, 2008, the so-called cricket diplomacy stopped between the two nations.

He extra claimed that being an on a regular basis fan of India and Pakistan has nothing to do with the geopolitics and politics of each nation. Interesting to see Farid talking about little curiosity in geopolitics when he used the time interval “Azad Kashmir”, which the Pakistanis use for Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, in March 2023 when an earthquake hit the world.

Farid used “Azad Kashmir” for PoK nonetheless he claims cricket followers haven’t got something to do with geopolitics. Source: Twitter

Farid claimed the sportsmen have acted as ambassadors and bridges between the two nations. Either Farid lives under some rock, or he is absolutely scale back off from data research because of the sportsmen from Pakistan have confirmed their anti-India colours on quite a few occasions. There is not any wish to return inside the far earlier each.

In a present interview, former Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad said, “If you are destined to die, you will die. Life and death are in the hands of the Almighty.” Miandad wanted India to not take care of the security of its players and permit them to go to Pakistan even when there have been lack of life threats. Is such an announcement anyplace close to establishing bridges or showing as an envoy?

Furthermore, Miandad had angrily requested India to “go to hell” in February this 12 months when the research bought right here out that it was practically explicit that Indian Cricket Team would not go to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. That could also be very “parliamentary” of the ex-cricketer to say about India.

Pakistan categorically said it may boycott World Cup 2023 if India refused to go to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.

Chronology of India’s Objection to Pakistan Being Asia Cup Host

It all started in June 2020 when Pakistan was anticipated to host Asia Cup 2020. At that time, India objected to Pakistan being the match host. A gathering occurred between ACC and PCB, after which PCB said it may let  Sri Lanka host Aisa Cup 2020.

Owing to Covid-19, the match was postponed to June 2021, and Sri Lanka was to host the match. However, in March 2021, India licensed for the last word match of the World Test Championship, which clashed with the June 2021 schedule of the Asia Cup. The match was as soon as extra postponed to 2023.

Pakistan was scheduled to host the 2022 Asia Cup, and ACC postponed the match till 2023, so a variety of conferences had been held to find out who would host the Asia Cup in 2023. In October 2021, Ramiz Raja, then-PCB chairman, confirmed Pakistan would host Asia Cup 2023.

In October 2022, BCCI secretary and ACC President Jay Shah launched India would not journey to Pakistan for the match because of the political stress between the two nations. He added the Asia Cup could be held at a “neutral venue”.

Irked by the assertion, PCB referred to as for an emergency meeting with the ACC board. PCB claimed the assertion would have an effect on Pakistan’s participation in World Cup 2023 and totally different ICC tournaments inside the 2024-2031 cycle.

In December 2022, Ramiz Raza said Pakistan could ponder withdrawing web internet hosting rights.

Since February 2023, there was an argument between PCB, ACC and BCCI regarding the venue of the Asia Cup. Initially, it was proposed that the match could very properly be shifted to UAE. However, later research immediate Sri Lanka may host the match. Notably, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have supported the switch.

Anti-India statements just isn’t going to help

Former Pakistani cricket Shahid Afridi not too way back targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi whereas speaking about Asia Cup. On May 5, he reportedly said, “Ever since Modi has come to power, you can’t expect anything from him in Pakistan’s favour. I am only talking about Modi. I have no expectations from him whatsoever. He will only harm us; I don’t see him doing anything in our (Pakistan’s) favour.”

His assertion bought right here solely weeks after he referred to as on PM Modi to allow cricket matches between the neighbouring nations on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket. In one different assertion, he blamed the Indian authorities for not letting players go to Pakistan.

This was not the first time Shahid Afridi spewed venom in the direction of India. In February 2023, speaking to Samaa TV about Asia Cup, he said, “If anyone cannot stand on his own feet, then the decision to make such strong calls is not easy. They have to look at plenty of things. India agar aankhe dikha raha hain or taking such a strong stance, then they have made themselves that strong, hence they can talk like this. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have the courage. In the end, make yourself strong and then take decisions.”

During the Legends League in Qatar, Shahid Afridi sparked controversy by giving autographs on Indian Tricolour whereas retaining the flag on his thigh. Indian cricket followers slammed Afridi and referred to as for movement in the direction of the earlier Pakistani skipper, stating that disrespecting the flag in any type is a legal offense.

From time to time, Afridi has supported separatism in Kashmir. Characterising separatist chief and terrorist Yasin Malik as a freedom fighter of “Kashmir’s struggle”, Afridi painted Malik as a sufferer of “fabricated charges” regardless that Malik had pleaded accountable to all costs levelled in the direction of him.

“India’s continued attempts to silence critical voices against its blatant human rights abuses are futile. Fabricated charges against #YasinMalik will not put a hold on # Kashmir’s struggle for freedom. Urging the #UN to take notice of unfair & illegal trails against Kashmir leaders,” Shahid Afridi tweeted.

Shahid Afridi was moreover the star attraction of the Kashmir Premier League, which was held in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), the place he warned BCCI all through his hold.

For former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, a cricket match in the direction of India was on a regular basis a ‘jihad.’

Former Pakistan cricket captain and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan had as quickly as said he seen a cricketing contest in the direction of India not as a secular match nonetheless as jihad. The revelation was made by former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, G Parthasarathy, who a Pakistani journalist as quickly as knowledgeable that when he requested Imran Khan how he bowls with such fire in the direction of India, he responded, ‘Whenever I play against India, I don’t take care of it as a sport, I take into account Kashmir and take care of it as a jihad’.

Waqar Younis rant in the direction of Hindus

During a chat current closing 12 months, Waqar Younis praised the Pakistani players for offering Namaz on the ground. He was visibly gloating over the reality that Namaz was provided in “front of Hindus”. He said, “The manner in which Babar and Rizwan batted, sensible yet aggressive, the strike-rotation, the look on their faces, it was amazing. The best thing, what Rizwan did, Mashallah, he offered the Namaz on the ground surrounded by Hindus, that was really something very special for me.”

Shoaib Akhtar endorsed the two-nation idea

In an interview on the Indian channel Aaj Tak, Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar not too way back endorsed the two-nation idea that led to the partition of India. While speaking on a cricket current organised by the channel, Shoaib Akhtar said he believed inside the two-nation idea. Shoaib Akhtar had lent his help to an extremist ideology as successfully. In a data chat current, Shoaib Akhtar advocated the Islamic supremacist fantasy of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, stating that Islamic forces will seize Kashmir and invade India.

Saeed Anwar had said all non-Muslims could be incinerated in hellfire

Former Pakistani batsman Saeed Anwar was one different cricketer who supported Islamic supremacism and dealt with non-Muslims contemptuously. In a gathering, Anwar said all non-Muslims could be incinerated in hellfire, and it was the accountability of Muslims to avoid wasting a lot of them by altering them to Islam.

The file of anti-India Pakistani crickets is prolonged and never-lasting. India has maintained its stand that diplomacy and terrorism cannot stroll concurrently. The Indian cricket workers has not visited Pakistan since 2008 and has no plans to go to Pakistan anytime inside the near future.

Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled for September.